What To Do When It Seems Like Your Professor Doesn’t Like You
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We have all had those moments: You say something stupid in class or bomb a quiz and get that disappointed sideways glance from your professor. This is just part of being a student, and, more than likely, your professor was doing his or her best to contain any negative reactions. There is a difference, though, between that and actually feeling like your professor truly doesn’t like you. If you feel you have been treated negatively by a professor, here are a few ways to figure out how to handle it.
Reality, or just your perception?
Make sure to put things in perspective. This professor has tons of students and, believe it or not, a personal life that extends beyond her role as a professor. The chances of her actually giving you more than a fleeting thought outside of class, or even during class, are miniscule. It would be very unlikely that she actually has it out for you. Maybe you are so worried about your professor’s perception of you, that you are skewing your perception of your professor!
Do you have any concrete evidence?
If you still realistically think you professor hates you, then you need to make sure that is the case and not just his or her personality. Have your grades suffered even though you feel like you’ve put in the same amount of effort? Has the professor spoken to you in front of the class in a demeaning or unprofessional way? Does the professor tend to focus his attention on you more than other students? Take yourself out of the situation for a minute, and consider the concrete facts. Next time you’re in class, pay attention to how the professor runs the class and how he treats other students. Ask around about other people’s experience with him. If you are absolutely positive that your professor is treating you differently, you have one final thing to do before taking action…
Check yourself: Are you being the best student you could be?
Before you jump to the conclusion that your professor is purposefully conspiring against you without cause, make sure that your professor has no reason to treat you in a negative way. Are you late turning in your work? Do you talk during class or constantly check your phone? Do you ask irrelevant questions that take up half the class period? If your answer to any of these questions is even a “maybe,” then you need to check yourself before you go complaining to your department dean. Professors, whether you like them or not, should always be treated with respect. They are your superiors and hold the key to a knowledge base way beyond your own. If you feel like you have been disrespectful in any way, change your behavior immediately. True, your professor should not get away with doing any kind of major emotional harm to her students, but if all she is doing is being a little rude, keep in mind that she pretty much has the right of way when it comes to how she wants to run her class and will most likely be supported by her colleagues.
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